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All About HPREP
HPREP participants demonstrate the skills of communication, teamwork and leadership through a pipeline challenge.
All About HPREP
HPREP is fun!
That is a main sentiment when you talk to the participants, student mentors, faculty and staff who are part of HPREP. It’s a great time for experiencing hands-on interprofessional activities, giving back to the community, and learning about nine health sciences programs at Campbell.
The Ransdell Family Health Professions Readiness & Enrichment Program (HPREP) exposes college students to a formative experience that combines academic instruction with leadership and professional development in an interprofessional environment.
The program targets first generation college prospects, financially disadvantaged, underrepresented minority students, and students with an interest in practicing in rural areas.
Founded in 2005, HPREP is a program for prospective students interested in the following areas:
• Pharmacy
• Osteopathic Medicine
• Physical Therapy
• Physician Assistant Practice
• Athletic Training
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Clinical Research
• Public Health
• Biomedical Sciences
Since its inception more than 700 students have participated in the program and more than 300 of those students have matriculated into graduate or professional programs, with the majority becoming Campbell alumni.
One soon-to-be Campbell alumna, Emilie Pinto, participated in HPREP in 2014 and then came back as a mentor in 2016. With an undergraduate degree from Clemson University, she was recently awarded Campbell Medicine’s Student DO of the Year and looks forward to graduating this May.
“At the end of my time at Clemson, I was not sure where I wanted to take my career. One of my advisors sent me an email my senior year about Campbell’s HPREP and I felt like through that program I would find the guidance that I needed to find the right healthcare career path for me."
"HPREP was truly an incredible experience that introduced me to various healthcare fields, taught me what individuals thrive in each field, and showed me what it takes to embark on each path. It helped me realize that osteopathic medicine was everything I was looking for. Campbell is a place where you will be challenged and grow into the best provider you can be, all with an amazing family-like support system that always has your back.”
Throughout HPREP students participate in interactive and interdisciplinary labs, workshops, seminars, and case studies related to health professions and their individual program of interest. They also explore a variety of health profession career opportunities and learn how to improve or strengthen professional admission test taking skills through a PCAT, MCAT, and GRE review session.
Another appealing benefit of HPREP is being able to build relationships with leaders in healthcare and receive one-on-one advising with a faculty or staff member. Peter Soarers found that aspect of HPREP to be extremely beneficial. As an immigrant to the United States, Soarers didn’t know how the educational system worked and appreciated the guidance from an advisor.
“I am from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates,” said Soarers, a Class of 2020 Doctor of Physical Therapy Candidate. “My family moved to North Carolina for a new chance to be successful, and I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity. Having a chance to interact with an advisor and with faculty before getting in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program was great. You can get to know each other and you know someone is there to look out for you.”
HPREP participants also discover how to become more competitive applicants for health science program admissions and learn about the many scholarships offered through Campbell.
Olson, who leads the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences' scholarship program, commented, “Since the initiation of HPREP, participants of the program who continued their graduate education at Campbell have been awarded more than $100,000 in scholarship funds towards pursuing their healthcare degree at the University. We do all we can to help support our students, including scholarships and financial aid.”
Campbell is dedicated to service and that shines through during HPREP. “There is always a service component as part of the program,” continued Olson. “We wanted to give back to the community so we started packing bags for Harnett County Buddy Backpacks. Campbell and the local community come together to donate food to be divided into bags and given to local school aged children who have little or nothing to eat over the weekend.”
Brittany Coggins, a class of 2021 dual degree candidate in Public Health and Physician Assistant Practice, summed up her 2017 HPREP experience in these words, “I was very welcomed and became part of the Campbell family through HPREP. The experience was amazing.”
Learn more about HPREP and find the application by searching “HPREP” on cphs.campbell.edu.
